Clamping tool



Aug. 24, 1965 M. F. LOTHAIRE 3,202,022

CLAMPING TOOL Filed May 12. 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. M/(f/ELfie/v4 #0 1 07mm:

Aug. 24, 1965 M. F. LOTHAIRE CLAMPING TOOL 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed y 12,1961 INVENTOR Mafia flaw/11m ion/4M6 1% r4 WM Aug. 24, 1965 M. F.LOTHAIRE CLAMPING TOOL 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 12, 1961 Fig. 4

IN VEN TOR. Mafia [MN/4N0 1 077mm:

Aug. 24, 1965 M. F. LOTHAIRE CLAMPING TOOL 5 Sheets-Sheet 4:

Filed May 12, 1961 INVENTOR. Mme 4 fie/m ND dorm/5 6' Try Aug. 24, 1965M. F. LOTHAIRE CLAMPING TOOL 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed y 12, 1961 INVENTOR.

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3,202,022 CLAMPING TQOL Michel Fenland Lothaire, Ave. de la Gare,

Kaolac, Senegal Filed May 12, 1961, Ser. No. 109,751 Claimspriority,.application France, May 14 19gf0, 827,227; Dec. 9, 1960,846,497 '7 (Ilairns. (Q1. 81-357.)

My invention relates to hand tools provided with two handles, such aswrenches or pincers of all types for United States Patent C clamping,cutting, twisting and the like purposes, the

opening of which is adjustable and the operation of which providesautomatic clamping.

An object of the invention is to provide a tool of this kind which has asimple structure and is very convenient to use.

I have illustrated in the accompanying drawing a number of preferredembodiments of my invention. said drawing:

FIGS. 16 are each a plan view of a diiferent embodiment of the toolaccording to the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a side-elevational view of the tool of FIG. 6.

There is shown in FIG. 1 a pliers having an elongated body 81 includinga first handle 82. A stationary jaw 83 is fixedly secured to body 81andextends transverse and slightly oblique to the length of body 81 forease in handling.

A movable jaw 85 carries a tailpiece 86 that is slidable longitudinallyin body 81 and has an elongated slot 87 extending longitudinallytherethrough. One interior edge of slot 87 is slotted so as to provide arack 88.

A catch 91 is mounted on a pin 92 for pivotal movement on and relativeto a pair of levers 93 on which the ends of pin 92 are pivotallymounted. Catch 91 is selectively engageable with various of the teeth ofrack 88.

Levers 93 are pivotally mounted at one end; on a pin 94 within a strap95 that is fixedly secured to body 81. At the other end of levers 93, asecond handle 96 is pivotally mounted on a pin 97 that in turn isfixedly secured to levers 9.3 and that passes through an elongated slot98 formed in the adjacent end. of handle 96,

Handle 96 carries teeth 101- that are disposedinan arc concentric withpin 97 when pin: 97 is in the outer end of slot 98. Teeth 101 are inmesh with a further arcuate series of teeth 102 fixedly mounted on body81. Slot 98 is so oriented as to allow movement of teeth 101 away fromteeth102, thereby to permit a change in the angular setting of handle 96so as to give a better grip on both handles.

A leaf spring 103 is secured in handle 96 andbears against pin 97 so asto urge pin 97 in a directionensuringinterengagement of teeth 101and102.

In operation, the approximate spacing between the jaws S3 and 85 isadjusted by engaging catch 91 with. appropriate teeth of rack 88.Then;'withjaws 83 and 85 in contact with thee member to be clamped, theteeth 101 are disengaged from teeth 102 by pressingon handle 95 againstthe action of. spring 103. The handle 96 is then given a suitableangular setting relative to handle 82,

so that it is possible to grasp both handles simultaneously with goodmechanical advantage. As soon as the pressure on handle 96 is released,the spring 103" forces the teeth 101 and 102 into engagement with eachother. The two handles are then urged' togetheriwhereupon the two jawsare urged together by reason of the relationship described above.

FIGUREZ illustrates. a modified form of the invention, with the samereference numerals designating substantially the same parts as inFIGURE 1. The. modification of FIGURE 2 is different from that of FIGURE1 in that the spring that is associated; with. handle 95 3,202,022Patented Aug. 24, 1965 is not a leaf spring but rather is a coil spring105 housed in the slot 98 in handle 96. One end of spring 105 engagespin 97 while the other end of spring 105 engages the end of slot 98remote from pin 97.

Another difference between the embodiments of FIG- URES 1 and 2 is thatthe teeth 88a of the rack of FIGURE 2 are formed along the edge of theslot 87 which is disposed nearer the outer edge of handle 82, and thisis the opposite arrangement from FIGURE 1. The position of catch 91a isthus reversed from the position in FIGURE 1. Moreover, catch 91a isprovided with a coil return spring 107 of which one end engages thecatch 91a while the other end engages a notch 108 in lever 93. Acontrol. knob 109, secured to pin 92, is provided for adjustablytensioning the spring 107.

The operation of the tool of FIGURE 2 is otherwise the same as that ofthe tool of FIGURE 1.

In FIGURE 3, the movable jaw 2 includes a tailpiece 2a adapted to slidein .a slideway 1a of the stationary jaw .1 rigid during this slidingmovement with the main handle 11. The slideway 1a is constituted by thegap between the two flanges 3 which are secured. by rivets 4 to the jaw1 and by rivets 7 .to a toothed segment 6. In said embodiment, theconnection between the two jaws, instead of being obtained asprecedingly by an independent lever, is ensured by the section 3 of themain handle 11. A spindle 12 passes through both the lever. 8 and thetail-piece 2a of the jaw 2 inside cylindrical openings of acorresponding diameter and through the flanges 3 inside an. elongated.slot 13 parallel with the general direction of the'tail-piece 2a.

Another spindle 15 passes, on the one hand, through the lever '8, asprovided by a cylindrical port of a corresponding diameter and, on theother hand, through the flanges 3. and the jaw 1, as provided by aslideway 16, the direction of which is perpendicular to the slot 13.

To the lever 11 is secured through the spindle 18 a pinion 19. meshingwith the toothed segment 6. The shape of said segment is defined in amanner such that when the jaws. slide with reference to each other andthe relative position of said jaws is modified, the pinion 19 revolvesround its axis 18, while remaining permanently in mesh with. the teethof the arcuate segment 6.

To .the spindle 18 is pivotally secured a lever 21 extending so as toform a handle 22 which is, in its turn, pivotally secured by. a spindle23 to the second handle 24 of the tool, one end of which forms a catch25 meshing with thetoothed pinion 1.9. The whole structure is such thatwhen the .two handles 11 and24are urged towards each other, the catch 25is locked with reference to the teeth of the pinion 19, so that saidpinion running over the. tooth segment 6. produces a movementof the twojaws 1 and.2 towards each. other. i

InFIGS. 4.and 5, the connection between the two jaws is constituted, asinFIGS. 1. and 3, by a lever independnet of, themain handle. f

InFIG. 4 which illustrates shearing .pincers the stationary jaw 31,rigid with the main handle, is provided again. with a. tail-piece. 32relative which. may slide the movable jaw 33, said tail-piece being heldbetween. the

'fianges 34.01: said jaw 33. The main handle 35 carries the toothedsegment. 36. The lever 38 which connects the two jaws isnot, in thisembodiment, rigidwith. the

other. handle and it is pivotally secured through a spindle 5 acylindrical hole in the lever 38 and through a slot 49 extending in theflanges 34 perpendicularly to the direction of the slot 47.

'In this case again, when the two handles 35 and 43 of the tool areurged together, the auxiliary handle 42 of the lever 41 engages theinner surface of the handle 43 of the tool and the teeth on theextension of the handle 43 engage and are locked in the intervalsbetween the teeth on the pinion 40 which runs over the toothed segment36 and ensures through the agency of the lever 38 movement of the twojaws 3i and 33 of the tool towards each other.

In FIG. there is illustrated another embodiment of a tool according tomy invention as forming a wrench provided with a first jaw 52 secured byrivets 53 between two flanges 54 and a second jaw 55 provided with atailpiece 56 slidingly mounted between the flanges 54 in a directiontransverse and slightly oblique, in this example, with reference to thedirection of the clamping surfaces of the jaws 52 and 55.

The connection between the two jaws is ensured by a lever 5d. The latteris connected with the jaw 52 through the agency of a link 61, of whichone end is pivotally secured through a spindle 62. to the flange S4-rigid with the jaw 52;, while its other end is secured to an end of thelever 58 by means of a spindle 63.

The lever 58 is connected with the tail-piece 56 of the jaw 55 through aspindle 65 housed also in a slideway 65 extending across the flanges 54in the direction of sliding of said tail-piece.

The two flanges 54- are provided with an extension 63 forming one of thehandles of the tool. The toothed segment 69 is rigid with the handle 6%and with the two flanges 54 between which it is secured through therivets '71.

The toothed control member instead of being constituted by a pinion of agenerally cylindrical shape constantly meshing with the segment 6?, isformed, in the present case, by a few teeth (two in the exampleillustrated), said teeth 73 being cut in the end of the second handle 74of the tool, which handle is pivotally secured to the lever 58 by meansof a spindle '75.

The arrangement is such that when the two tool handles are spaced to .amaximum extent, the teeth 73 of the handle '74 disengage the teeth onthe segment 69, rigid with the other handle, so that it is possible toadjust, as required, the extent of opening of the wrench. When saidextent of opening is obtained, the two handles 74 and 68 of the tool aremoved towards each other, which has for its result to set the teeth 73ot the handle 74 into engagement with the teeth of the segment 69 and,as the movement continues, this provides a pivotal movement of the lever58 and a corresponding closing of the tool jaws.

It is possible to replace the connecting link 61 between the lever 58and the jaw 52, for instance, by a slider rigid with the flanges 54,wherein an axle may be housed, such as the axle 63 of the lever 58.

Of course, the control system including a pinion and a rack may bereplaced, in certain cases, by a welding system such as that illustratedin FIGS. 6 and '7, which may be considered as equivalent to a connectionthrough toothed members;

In FIGS. 6 and 7, I have retained the same reference numbers as for FIG.3 since the structure is similar, in that the lever connecting the twojaws in the present case is, as in the case of FIG. 3, constituted by asection 8 of the main handle 11. In the stationary jaw 1 may slide thetail-piece 2a of the movable jaw 2. The second handle 24 is pivotallysecured to the lever 21 through the pivot 23, while the lever 21 ispivotally secured to the jaw 1 by a spindle 20. In this latterembodiment, when the handles 11 and 24 of the'tool are urged towardseach other, the catch 25 on the handle 24 is wedged against the sectionof the jaws coaxial with the spindle 20, when a zit 'tractional stressis exerted on the links forming the lever 21, while the lever 8 ensuresthe movement of the two jaws 1 and 2 towards each other. It is an easymatter to adjust the extent of opening of the jaws 1 and 2 by means of apivoting movement of the lever 21 with reference to the jaw 1 round theaxis 20.

My invention is by no means limited to the embodiments described andillustrated, which are given by way of mere exemplifications, andvarious modifications may be brought thereto by anyone skilled in theart without unduly widening thereby the scope of the invention asdefined in the accompanying claims.

What I claim is:

1. A clamping tool comprising a fixed jaw and a movable jaw mounted forsliding movement in relation to said fixed jaw, a main handle integralwith said fixed jaw, an intermediate lever, a strap rigid with said mainhandle, a pin connected to said intermediate lever and disposedperpendicular to the relative movement of the jaws within said strap topivotally couple said lever to the main handle, a slideway within saidmovable jaw parallel to the relative movement of the jaws, a catch meansguided in said slideway and connected with said intermediate lever topivotally couple the latter to the movable jaw, a series of teethmounted on said main handle, a secondary handle, and a toothed sectorintegral with said secondary handle and pivotally mounted on saidintermediate lever and engageable with said series of teeth, saidtoothed sector being movable by said secondary handle.

2. A tool according to claim 1, wherein said toothed sector has a pivotpin disposed in an oblong housing of said secondary handle so that thetoothed sector may be disengaged from said series of teeth by openingthe said handles the maximum distance from each other.

3. A tool according to claim 2 in which said slideway .contains atoothed rack, and in which said catch means is pivotally mounted on saidintermediate lever and is engageable and disengageable with one of theteeth of said toothed rack so that the initial distance between said twojaws may be adjusted.

4. A clamping tool comprising in combination a fixed jaw comprising aprincipal handle, a movable jaw, a lever pivotally connected to thefixed jaw by means of a tooth in a slideway and to the movable jaw by anaxle in a slideway, and a secondary handle mounted for rotation on anend of said lever and carrying a toothed sector engaging with teeth onthe principal handle.

5. A tool as claimed in claim 4, in which said toothed sector is mountedfor sliding movement without turning in a slot of the secondary handleso as to be adapted to be disengaged from said teeth of the principalhandle and is normally maintained in coupled position with said teeth byspring means.

6. A tool as claimed in claim 4, in which a pawl is mounted on said axisof said lever and engageably and disengageably cooperates with a rack onthe tail of the movable jaw thereby to permit adjustable initial spacingof the jaws.

7. A clamping tool comprising a pair of members having portions movabletoward and away from each other, a lever having a first pivotalconnection with one said member and a second pivotal connection with theother said member, said pivotal connections being spaced apart, saidsecond pivotal connection passing through said one member, and handlemeans for swinging said one member and said lever relative to each otherin a direction to move said portions toward each other, said handlemeans being swingable relative to said one member and bearing againstsaid one member to urge said portion of said one member toward saidportion of said other member upon Swinging of said handle, said handlemeans being swingable relative to said one member about an axis spacedfrom said one member, and teeth on said handle means disposed in an arccentric with said axis and in mesh with teeth on said one member to urgesaid portion of said one member toward said portion of said other memberupon swinging movement of said handle means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Dean 81-137 XBurgess 81-134 X Roberts 81-130 X Daniels 81-136 X Rollins 81-131 XWolfe 81-356 Kroke 81-358 X Gardner 81-362 Hazel 81-360 X 10/20Weatherly 81-356 Franklin 81-359 X 9/53 Aden 81-356 FOREIGN PATENTSFrance. Germany. Great Britain. Great Britain. Sweden. Switzerland.

1. A CALMPING TOOL COMPRISING A FIXED JAW AND A MOVABLE JAW MOUNTED FORSLIDING MOVEMENT IN RELATION TO SAID FIXED JAW, A MAIN HANDLE INTEGRALWITH SAID FIXED JAW, AN INTERMEDIATE LEVER, A STRAP RIGID WITH SAID MAINHANDLE, A PIN CONNECTED TO SAID INTERMEDIATE LEVER AND DISPOSEDPREPENDICULAR TO THE RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF THE JAWS WITHIN SAID STRAP TOPIVOTALLY COUPLE SAID LEVER TO THE MAIN HANDLE, A SLIDWAY WITHIN SAIDMOVABLE JAW PARALLEL TO THE RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF THE JAWS, A CATCH MEANSGUIDED IN SAID SLIDWAY AND CONNECTED WITH SAID INTERMEDIATE LEVER TOPIVOTALLY COUPLE THE LATTER TO THE MOVABLE JAW, A SERIES OF TEETHMOUNTED ON SAID MAIN HANDLE, A SECONDARY HANDLE, AND A TOOTHED SECTORINTEGRAL WITH SAID SECONDARY HANDLE AND PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAIDINTERMEDATE LEVER AND ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID SERIES OF TEETH, SAID TOOTHEDSECTOR BEING MOVABLY BY SAID SECONDARY HANDLE.